Increasingly, obtaining a job that pays family-sustaining wages means getting a college degree or other postsecondary credential. However, according to the 2021 U.S. Census, only 31.5 percent of Texans ages 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB)--the highest authority in the state…

In December 2020, Complete College America (CCA), in partnership with the Jessie Ball duPont Fund, launched a rigorous 12- to 18-month project designed to increase student success and completion rates at small liberal arts institutions. The focus was on building and enhancing support systems for first-generation and Pell-eligible students, and…

When students enroll in community college, they interact with a range of individuals who help shape their college experiences. The role that faculty can play in creating a welcoming and inclusive campus environment has been well-documented (Felten & Lambert, 2020; Komarraju et al., 2010; Rendón, 2002). Yet personnel in student services…

Free college programs have been around for some time, but they have proliferated in recent years, prompted by rising college costs, mounting student debt, and the United States' urgent need for a more educated workforce. But while these free college, or "promise" programs have the potential to make a higher education more affordable and…

College enrollment and completion rates among low-income and historically underserved students are lower than those of their middle- and upper-income counterparts. "Promise scholarships," also known as "last dollar" scholarships, are becoming an increasingly popular way for states throughout the U.S. to incentivize…

Latino students are the fastest growing minority population and currently have the largest population of student-aged young people. However, Latino students are lagging behind White, Asian, and African American in college attendance rates. The purpose of this study was to examine how an AVID program at an urban high school helps Latino students…

Traditionally seen as a way for institutions to help students alleviate some of the financial demands placed on them, on-campus student employment has several additional benefits institutions can leverage to assist students along their collegiate journey. If designed and operationalized effectively, institutions can use their on-campus student…

At the request of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) conducted a review of Oklahoma's Promise program between August 2017 and February 2018. This report summarizes findings and observations from the review and provides recommendations. The review is organized around five areas of interest…

The Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship (TELS) program was designed to meet the unique needs of the state of Tennessee while also incorporating the hallmark elements of existing merit-based aid programs in other states. Developed through a process involving elected officials and members of the academic community, the TELS program aims to…

Notwithstanding years of retention efforts, graduation rates of Latinas/os remain alarmingly low. The purpose of this review is threefold. First, the authors go beyond traditional theory and highlight those scholars who shed new information on retention for Latina/o students. Second, they summarize factors that specifically affect Latina/o…

Talent Search projects identify and assist individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds who have the potential to succeed in higher education. The program provides academic, career, and financial aid counseling to its participants and encourages them to graduate from high school and continue on to the postsecondary school of their choice. Talent…

This report displays and compares data from four special programs in postsecondary institutions operating in New York State for persons who have been academically and educationally disadvantaged. The programs are College Discovery, Search for Education, Elevation, and Knowledge, the Educational Opportunity Program, and the Higher Education…

"The Achiever" is a monthly publication for parents and community leaders. Each issue contains news and information about school improvement in the United States. Highlights of this issue include: (1) "No Child Left Behind": Key Focus in State of the Union; (2) A Shining Example: Using Mix of Strategies, Stanton Elementary…

A descriptive update of the scholarship program at Miami-Dade Community College (MDCC) is provided for the period from 1979-80 to 1984-85. First, an introductory narrative describes the scholarships available to MDCC students, reviews previous research focusing on scholarship recipients, explains the report's purpose, analyzes data, and discusses…

This handbook contains profiles of 107 historically black colleges and universities in the United States and the Virgin Islands. Information is derived from the College Board Annual Survey of Colleges database. Information for each school describes: (1) admissions criteria; (2) graduation information; (3) academic programs; (4) campus and student…